Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

It's effectively all-clear from India for two key deals with Boeing Defense for 22 AH-64D Apache Block III and Block III Longbow attack helicopters and 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy lift transport helicopters for the Indian Air Force. The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by defence minister Arun Jaitley, approved necessary offsets clearances to allow the deal forward; both deals now have a cursory stop at the apex Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) before they're up for signing. Indications are that the deals could be signed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the U.S. next month or shortly after.

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After sitting on two commercial bids for over two years, the Indian MoD today formally decided it would move forward with the stalled Multirole Helicopter (MRH) competition that looks to acquire 16 advanced multirole helicopters for the Indian Navy to augment and then replace its Westland & Sikorsky Sea Kings. Unless things exit the window the way they have so many times in the past, this one looks like a sitter for Sikorsky. It's been an ill-tempered competition, with allegations and counter-allegations flying through much of 2011-12, mostly by NHIndustries against Sikorsky. And as we know so well, few things slow already lumbering procurement processes to a dead crawl like allegations of favouritism or partiality. The MoD's decision today to move forward and open bids from Sikorsky for the S-70B Sea Hawk and NHIndustries for the NH90 is excellent news for the navy that's increasingly hamstrung for capable rotorcraft it can send out to sea. It also paves the way for the larger IMRH programme that looks to procure a much larger number of similar helicopters, a competition that Lockheed-Martin has eyed closely with the MH-60 Romeo.

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According to latest news coming in Defence Ministry has cleared procurement of 118 new Indian-built Arjun tanks that is likely to cost 6,800 crore. This will be a repeat order for the Army. Indian Army already has 126 Arjun MK-1 tanks in its fleet .

Arjun MK-2 is still not cleared final rounds of Indian army tests but in recent test advanced laser warning countermeasure system and a mobile camouflage system was tested and proven on the Arjun MBT Mk.II in the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan and will go for final trials soon .

In major boost to Indian Armies self-propelled artillery systems requirements, Defence Ministry has cleared procurement of 40 Arjun Catapult which is a self-propelled gun (SPG) system which comprises of 130-mm M-46 towed gun integrated on Arjun Mk.1 main battle tank chassis.

Arjun Catapult is a stop gap measure which Indian Army at to reactivate previous Catapult artillery system, which was a conversion of ageing Vijayanta tanks fitted with the same Soviet M-46 gun. Arjun Catapult was reactivated after ‘Bhim’ self-propelled howitzer, where a Denel T6 turret was mounted on Arjun MBT chassis was developed and tested successfully and was also cleared for production But the project went awery after ban on Denel of South Africa which was developing the artillery system .

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In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" promise made from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the Centre opened defence manufacturing to the private sector on Friday and cleared purchases to the tune of Rs. 20,000 crore.

Plans to buy 197 Light Utility helicopters from foreign vendors have been scrapped. The helicopters will now be made in India, generating business of around Rs. 40,000 crore for Indian businessmen.

The government also cleared the purchase of 16 Multi-Role Helicopters at a cost of Rs. 1800 crore for the Navy.

The mid-life upgrade of six submarines -- four of them Russia-built Kilo Class submarines and two German-built HDW submarines (Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft) will also be carried out in India. The cost will come up to around Rs. 4,800 crore.

The Centre has also cleared the purchase of Integrated Anti- Submarine Defence Suits for 11 frontline warships at a cost of Rs. 1,770 crore. These would also be procured from Indian manufacturers.

Besides, a dedicated border communication system for the army - mainly for use on the India-China border - will also be acquired at cost of Rs. 900 crore.

On August 16, launching the new, indigenously built destroyer INS Kolkata, PM Modi said, "My government has taken important steps in improving indigenous defence technology. We dream about making India strong enough to export defence equipment to the world."

Taking a cue from the government, Indian firms are planning to pump money into the defence sector.

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New Delhi approves Apache buy, cancels long-running tender
By: ATUL CHANDRABANGALORE Source: Flightglobal.com in 4 hours
The Indian ministry of defence has cleared the procurement of attack and heavy-lift helicopters for the nation’s air force, while also cancelling a decade-long effort to acquire 197 reconnaissance and surveillance (RSH) rotorcraft.

The attack and heavy-lift procurement is cumulatively worth an estimated $2 billion, while the abandoned RSH buy was worth $1 billion.

In a decision taken on 29 August, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) – led by defence minister Arun Jaitley – cleared the purchase of 22 Boeing AH-64E Apache and 15 CH-47F Chinook helicopters.

The decision still requires final ratification from the government’s Cabinet Committee on Security, however.

Boeing earlier told Flightglobal it expects additional orders for the Apache attack helicopter, and is “bullish on finalising the contracts by the end of 2014” for both types.

Meanwhile, the DAC also decided to close the drawn-out procurement of 197 light helicopters for both the Indian army (133) and Indian air force (64). The process had been under way since 2003.

The two finalists – Airbus Helicopters’ AS550 C3 Fennec and Russian Helicopters’ Kamov Ka-226T – had been waiting for a decision on the procurement for almost six years.

The helicopters will now be acquired under the “buy and make (Indian)” category – as per India’s defence procurement policy – and a fresh request for information is expected to be issued. This would call for the supply of a certain number of helicopters in flyaway condition under the “buy” section, followed by licenced production in India under the “make”.

As part of its offer for the cancelled tender, Airbus Helicopters had said if the “Fennec is selected, deliveries will commence in 12 months, with a final assembly line being setup in India”.

India’s military currently operates the Cheetah (Aérospatiale SA-315 B Lama) and Chetak (SA-316 Aérospatiale Alouette III) light helicopters, which are built under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics in Bengaluru. The last of Cheetahs will now be retired as late as 2030.

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aksha said:

ndian Army also cleared today for procurement of 40 Arjun Catapult 130mm self-propelled artillery systems.

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Skywatcher said:

Wouldn't be more cost effective to mount the Catapult on a T-72 chassis?

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TerraN_EmpirE said:

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